Comparing Parkinson’s to parkinsonism

September 28, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My 80-year-old father has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome. What is the difference between that and Parkinson’s disease? Upon reading medical information about both, he does follow the characteristics of both conditions.

Thank you for any information you can provide.

DEAR READER: Parkinson’s disease is a progressive degenerative disease that results from the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. Dopamine is produced by the body and has many effects, one of which is coordinated muscle movement.
[Read more...]

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Anti-anxiety med for tremor?

March 13, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My doctor has prescribed a light dose of Xanax for an essential tremor, which seems to help. Is this medicine doing me any harm, or is there something better?

DEAR READER: Essential tremor can be caused by several conditions, including anxiety and stress. It is often confused with Parkinson’s disease, and affects almost 15 percent of people over the age of 65.

The Xanax you have been prescribed is in a group of drugs called benzodiazepines. I can only assume your physician prescribed it because he or she believes the tremor is caused by anxiety. [Read more...]

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Parkinson’s and excess saliva

March 11, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have Parkinson’s disease and have a great deal of saliva. I take two kinds of drugs — ropinirole and carbidopa/levodopa — and wonder if they are necessary.

DEAR READER: Parkinson’s is a neurological disorder with a myriad of symptoms, including fatigue, malaise, depression, memory loss, cramped handwriting, tremor, rigidity, gait abnormalities, lack of facial expression and sense of smell, and more. Postural instability develops as the disease progresses. Excess saliva is uncommon, but each person experiences different symptoms, so I won’t unequivocally dismiss any involvement with your diagnosis. [Read more...]

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Daily Column

February 2, 2009 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My 73-year-old husband has been diagnosed with Vascular Parkinson’s (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy).

After the neurologists’ diagnosis, I did research on the internet and found that my husband has every symptom, both physical and mental. His falls started several years ago. His movements are now painfully slow, his thinking is impaired, he has trouble swallowing, spills foods, requires help getting up and down, has great trouble walking even with a walker, has lost weight, is very weak, spends 15+ hours in bed a day, has a blank stare and reduced eye movement (says he can’t see).

He has not accepted that there is no cure and asked that I write for your opinion on the best place to seek help. [Read more...]

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Three Conditions Share Symptoms

January 11, 2009 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
A relative of mine has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. We have found that normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) has many of the same symptoms. Would you please explain the difference between the two diseases and advise the correct treatments?

DEAR READER:
First, I will briefly discuss hydrocephalus.

The body produces about eight ounces of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) each day. Almost all of that fluid is reabsorbed into the bloodstream. When this fails to occur, as with head injury, stroke, meningitis or when a tumor develops, an imbalance occurs. This problem is known as hydrocephalus. There are two known forms, congenital and acquired. Congenital hydrocephalus generally occurs at birth. The acquired form (NPH) most frequently occurs in individuals over the age of 60.

Now, the problem. Symptoms include gait abnormalities, difficulty walking up and down stairs, confusion, urinary frequency and urgency, and short term memory loss. As you pointed out, these are also symptoms tied to Parkinson’s and also to Alzheimer’s.

Normal pressure hydrocephalus differs from congenital hydrocephalus in that pressure in the head may have fluctuations of CSF from high to low or even normal. Some cases are linked to bleeding in the brain or result from a blockage in the flow of CSF through and around the brain and spinal cord. [Read more...]

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Sunday Column

November 23, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
In a recent column in our local newspaper, a writer told of a friend with the shakes, as in the early stages of Parkinson’s. In the article, the reference was to B-5Q in a couple of places and again in your answer.

The last sentence of your response, however, referred to B-50. Could you clear this up for us, please? My brother is in the early stages of Parkinson’s or something like it and has the shakes. We attempted to locate B-5Q with no success, but B-50 is available.

Thank you. We appreciate your help.

DEAR READER:
As I am sure you are aware, Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disorder that is both chronic and progressive. It is not contagious, nor is it generally inherited. [Read more...]

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Daily Column

October 22, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I was recently in the hospital because of lightheadedness. I am a 73-year-old woman with a history of brain aneurysm. In 1966 I was diagnosed with an aneurysm in the right side of the Circle of Willis (I guess you know what that means). Because of this, the hospital doctors ordered a CT scan of my head. No one told me anything but I got copies of my test reports and have determined I have encephalomalacia in the area of the right temporal lobe.

Because I can never talk to my doctor (only his assistants) I was hoping you could tell me what this means.

DEAR READER:
The Circle of Willis is an area at the base of the brain where several arteries join together. While all brain aneurysms are potentially dangerous, one situated in the Circle of Willis is especially so because the interior carotid arteries branch off from this area and supply about 80% of the brain’s blood. [Read more...]

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Sunday Column

October 12, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My family physician husband and I enjoy reading your column. However, concerning the 80-year-old woman who had been unsuccessfully treated for Alzheimer’s and depression and also had significant rigidity in her extremities, we believe that she may have Lewy body dementia. Her fearfulness may stem from hallucinations which are part of this disorder.

My father suffered from some of these symptoms, particularly increasing rigidity. He was later diagnosed at autopsy with Lewy body dementia. He, too, was on Aricept for several years with little or no difference in the condition.

DEAR READER:
Lewy body dementia is a relatively common form of dementia. It is characterized by the loss of the ability to think, reason and remember. This is due to the development of abnormal round structures (Lewy bodies) [Read more...]

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Daily Column

September 17, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am having trouble falling asleep. My medications include Sinemet, Levoxyl, Wellbutrin, Actonel, and Valium. My supplements are grape seed extract, omega 3 fish oil, COQ10, and vitamins C, D, and B50. I would like to try melatonin to solve my sleep problem. Would it be compatible with my medications? I also have Parkinson’s disease but feel it is unrelated.

DEAR READER:
Let’s consider the big picture here. You are on a host of medications and supplements for your Parkinson’s, hypothyroidism, depression, anxiety, hypercholesterolemia, and osteoporosis.

I would like to clarify the dosage of Levoxyl you are taking for hypothyroidism. While I left out the dosages of the medications you are on, you stated you take 50 mg daily. This amount is beyond comprehension. [Read more...]

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Daily Column

August 8, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I’m a 78-year-old male and have enjoyed relatively good health, allowing me to work several days every few months repairing knitting machines. I now take short, shuffling steps, stand in a stooped fashion and have a tendency to lose my balance. This has resulted in several falls.

I see a primary care physician at a VA clinic, a local internist, urologist, cardiologist, and a neurologist. I have type 2 diabetes and have had episodes of atrial fibrillation in the past. My medications include Metformin, simvastatin, warfarin, flecainide, a daily multi-vitamin, and monthly B12 injections. Further, I had partially successful atrial ablation in 2006 and cryotherapy for prostate cancer in 2007. My blood pressure readings and lab testing for diabetes are always great.

After an MRI I was told I do not have Parkinson’s disease, but Parkinsonism symptoms. [Read more...]

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